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MIT, Air Force Launch AI Accelerator

MIT will be working with the U.S. Air Force to develop a program that focuses on the rapid deployment of AI solutions to improve Air Force operations.

By Sara Friedman

05/21/19

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is collaborating with the U.S. Air Force to launch the MIT-Air Force AI Accelerator. The new program is designed as a joint agreement to conduct fundamental research directed at enabling rapid prototyping, scaling and application of artificial intelligence algorithms and systems. The collaboration is expected to support at least 10 MIT research projects that address challenges that are important to the Air Force and other scientific inquiries related to AI research.

The Air Force plans to invest $15 million a year into the new accelerator. Under the agreement, MIT will form interdisciplinary teams of researchers, faculty and students to work on a number of topics, including AI, machine learning and robotics. Teams will also consist of leaders from across IT who range in technology policy, history and ethics specialties. Members of the Air Force will also join and lend expertise to the teams.

"This collaboration is very much in line with MIT's core value of service to the nation," said Maria Zuber, MIT's vice president for research. "MIT researchers who choose to participate will bring state-of-the-art expertise in AI to advance Air Force mission areas and help train Air Force personnel in applications of AI."

The MIT-Air Force AI Accelerator will aim to develop new algorithms and systems that assist in complex decision-making to help the Air Force with operational efficiencies. Other areas of research include disaster relief, medical readiness, data management, maintenance and logistics, vehicle safety and cyber resiliency.